1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to ground anchor systems that are used to anchor a railing post to an underlying surface. More particularly, the present invention relates to anchor systems that anchor hollow rail posts that are part of a plastic or aluminum railing system.
2. Prior Art Description
Building codes require that all elevated platforms, such as decks, porches, elevated patios, and the like contain a railing system that would prevent a person from accidentally falling off the elevated platform. In the past, most railing systems were made from either wood or wrought iron. If such a railing system were being placed around a wooden structure, such as a deck, the rails were simply nailed or bolted to the wooden structure. If a railing were being added to around a cement structure, the vertical rails of the railing system were typically set into the cement as the cement was being poured.
A common problem shared by wooden and iron railings is that both require continuous maintenance. Wood weathers and rots. Iron rusts. As a result, both wooden and metal railings must be periodically cleaned and/or repainted if they are intended to last.
In modern construction, the use of wood and iron railing systems is decreasing. Instead, builders are opting for alternate railing systems that are made from plastic or aluminum. Plastic railing systems have rails that are molded from vinyl or poly vinyl chloride. Such railings can be molded in any color. Consequently, the railings do not require painting. Furthermore, since the railings are plastic, they are unaffected by water, rot, insects, and rust. Aluminum railing systems are made from extruded pieces of aluminum. The aluminum can be anodized in any color. Consequently, the aluminum railings do not require painting and are unaffected by water, rot, insects and rust.
Although plastic and aluminum railings do not require periodic maintenance, they are difficult to install. Plastic posts can be damaged if they are nailed or bolted to another surface. Aluminum post can bend easily around a bolt, if the bolt is firmly tightened. Furthermore, both plastic and aluminum posts tend to fatigue and crack at the point of attachment.
Since nails and bolts create stress concentration points in a plastic and aluminum rail posts, it is preferred that nails and bolts not be used when mounting the rail posts. In the prior art, alternate material rail posts have been created that have large complex bases. The bases of the alternate material rail post are then set into cement or are buried in the ground. Alternate material posts with enlarged bases are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,700,213 to Blease and U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,438 to Blouin.
Although burying the base of an alternate material railing post in the ground or in poured concrete is effective, such mounting techniques cannot be used if the railing post is to be mounted over a slab of hard concrete.
When mounting an alternate material railing post to hard concrete, one of two prior art techniques are typically used. The first technique requires that a hole be chiseled in the concrete. The railing post is then set into the new hole and the new hole is refilled with concrete.
The second technique requires the use of steel brackets. A steel reinforcement post is bolted to the cement with L-brackets. The alternate material railing post is then placed over the steel reinforcement post. The technique of bolting a metal support post to a cement slab with L-shaped brackets is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,074,893 to Coltrin, entitled Fence.
Chiseling a hole in a concrete slab that is large enough to accommodate a post has obvious drawbacks. The creation of the hole is labor intensive and can permanently damage the structural integrity and aesthetics of the concrete slab. Additionally, mounting a post to a concrete slab also has problems. The L-shaped brackets used to connect the support post to the slab protrude out from the base of the synthetic post. The presence of the brackets prevents the bottom of the synthetic post from laying flush against the concrete slab. Furthermore, since the brackets are exposed, the brackets can rust and require maintenance.
A need therefore exists for a system and method of attaching an alternate material railing post to a concrete, wooden or earthen support without having to create a large hole in the support and without having to use brackets that protrude from the railing post. This need is met by the present invention as described and claimed below.